Himachal's Education Crisis: Funds Used for Salaries, Infrastructure Neglected

Sunil Chadha

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh’s declining education standards have once again come under scrutiny, with fresh revelations during the state assembly’s budget session on March 12, 2025. The issue was first highlighted in October 2024 when Education Minister Rohit Thakur expressed deep concern over the state’s drastic fall in national education rankings.

Once among the top three states in education, Himachal Pradesh had slipped to 21st place. The minister pointed out alarming statistics—8th-grade students were struggling with concepts from the 2nd grade, indicating a severe learning gap.

During the recent budget session, Dharamshala MLA Sudhir Sharma raised critical questions regarding the funds received under the “Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan” program. He specifically asked for details on the total funding received from the central government over the past two financial years and how these funds had been utilized.

In response, the government disclosed that Himachal Pradesh had received a total of ₹822.71 crore from the central government under the program during the financial years 2023-24 and 2024-25. In 2023-24, the state was granted ₹485.97 crore, of which only ₹421.60 crore was spent. In 2024-25, the state received ₹336.74 crore, which was entirely utilized.

However, a troubling detail emerged: no funds had been allocated towards strengthening libraries or improving school infrastructure, despite these being key components of the program. Instead, the bulk of the funds were directed towards teacher salaries.

For the 2024-25 financial year, a total of ₹374.16 crore was spent on salaries, with 90% of the amount funded by the central government and 10% by the state government.

This revelation has sparked concerns regarding the effective utilization of educational funds. While ensuring teacher salaries is vital, the neglect of infrastructure and academic resources could further contribute to the declining educational standards.

Experts argue that without proper infrastructure, libraries, and learning materials, students will continue to struggle, regardless of teacher recruitment and salaries.

The state government now faces increasing pressure to reassess its spending priorities and take urgent steps to address the core issues affecting education in Himachal Pradesh.

With declining national rankings and a growing learning gap, education reforms must focus on holistic development, ensuring that funds are utilized effectively to improve both teaching quality and the learning environment.